Entwined

Mistake

There are floods of faces, tears, and smiles when I walk away from Lisa’s store. Many of my friends and people I would hang out with were there. They invited me to sit down, have a drink, play a little pool, or sing karaoke but I refused. Never again would I sit in total tranquility eating pizza and chatting with my comrades. That would only exist in my memories. Keeping my head down to avoid looking at anyone I walk out without saying another word. I don’t need to say good bye to anyone. I’ve already mentally shut myself away. I’m ready to take on my life as a whole new person and this time I’ll do it right. “Courtney Shay.” A voice calls. I turn around and see my cousin Drake walking towards me. We used to be the closest cousins because he’d come over to my house and hang out with Ethan. Then he stopped coming over and I heard it was because everyone would make fun of him for being with kids who attended a public school. Drake hangs out all the time at Lisa’s store he’s got the cool boy swag going. His perfectly swept blonde hair reaches just pasted his ears, and his blue eyes always skim over you like he can’t really see you. It makes all the girls swoon and try extra hard to get noticed. It’s something that boost Drakes ego and makes me sick. He stops in front of me and says, “Hey how about I take you home?” I shake my head and shoot him a sappy smile, “Yeah you don’t have too.” He smiles back just as sickly sweet. “Don’t worry Princess I don’t mind.” I turn and walk outside not bothering to wait for him. “Hey wait” he says running after me. I turn, “Look we don’t have to do this just pretend you took me home and it’ll be fine I’ll walk.” He shakes his head, “No really Courtney Shay I want to take you home. I need to tell you something.” “My house is two blocks away I can walk. Alone.” “Courtney Shay wait-“ I don’t listen so he grabs my arm and whispers fiercely, “Ethan told me not to let you go home.” “I’m not going home.” I reply. He nods, “Ethan asked me to drive you to the airport… It’s a long walk.” I stare at him, “Ethan told you everything?” He nods shaking his mess of blonde hair. “Okay but I really want to say good bye to Ethan before I go and I need to grab my bag so take me home first.” We climb into his car and he drives me home. Ethan told him not to take me home? Must be some sort of mix up. It has to be and with one look at my house I can tell why. In the driveway three white police cruisers are parked with their blues and red lights flashing. There are police officers scattered around my lawn. My heart pounds wildly inside my chest has something happened to my mom? “Mom!” I scream as I run to my house. A chubby police officer tries to stop me, but I shove him to the side frantically. Then continue to sprint, clamoring up the porch stairs clumsily, tripping on the last step. The police officer sees his chance to grab me. “Let go!” I scream, “Mom, mom where are you?” The police officer lets out an exasperated groan as I kick him in the stomach. “Young lady calm down you cannot go inside.” “Mom!” I scream once again. “Courtney Shay It’s alright.” Ethan my brother says taking me from the police officer The officer nods at him, wiping the beads of sweat off his shiny bald head. I turn to my brother hugging him tightly thankful that he’s okay. “Where’s mom? What happened? Is something wrong?” He shakes his head “Mom’s in the car-” I bolt up, “Drake?” I call. He is standing behind me “Courtney Shay?” he asks confused. I don’t understand what’s happening either so run to the pretty Audi A5 Coupe parked in the driveway. My mom is sitting in the backseat. She stares into my eyes with a look that sends tremors down my back. I know something is terribly wrong.